The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-17

1ACSA1OAAY AAU 4ahta AAOAdAAA
about them. Before going to bed he
asked his mother to mend a rent in his
trousers leg, and, contrary to his usual
custom, he kissed his mother before
retiring for the night. The next morn
ing he left the house before dawn,
closing the door softly after him, SO
that his parents were not awakened.
Two hours later he had hired out as a
driver on the canal at ten dollars per
month. He had not told his parents
of his intention, because he knew they
would not hear of his entering on such
a menial pursuit
"Canalling is good enough for them
as hasn't brains enough to do somethin'
else; but as for my Mickey, he's going
{ be ayther a doctor or lawyer, I
don't care which; shure tn both o thin
wears b'aver hats"
As was to have been expected there
was great excitement in the Finn sham
ty when the discovery of Mickey's flight
was made. What object he could have
in going away was more than his par
ents could guess. 1t seemed like
wanton desertion to his mother, al
though she hardly believed such an act
possible, especially after his affection
ate manner of the previous evening.
Two weeks had gone by and no tidings
were heard from the missing boy, al
though he had made one trip to Homes
dale, and, returning to Cooney Island
in the evening, had looked in the win
dow and seen his father and mother
sitting beside the old familiar table
He saw his mothers apron lifted up to
her eyes several times, and felt such
big lump in his throat that he had to
run away for fear of blubbering. How
he got away he hardly knew, but after
running a mile he regained control of
himself, and the next morning he had
started on another trip. in the mean
time the Firms had been served with
notice from a lawyer that unless the
thirty dollars was paid by May 6 the
COW would be seized and sold. Mike
and his wife denied themselves even the
luxury of butter; their potatoes were
simply salted, and Mike, for one long,
weary week, went without tobacco, be-
cause, as he said:
livery pinny'Il Ii help t. save tn COW.
If that rascal Mickey o mine had
stayed home stead o. runnin' AVA, he
might iv helped a little by carryin'
coal an doin' an odd job or two. TIL
Good Book tells tn truth whin it says
a wicked b'y's like rotton tooth. It's
mighty rough whin by goes back
on his Ould man, tho"
But Mrs. Finn did not believe in the
wickedness imputed to her son by his
father. She thought he would come
back and explain his absence in sat
isfactory manner. When the fateful
day arrived the Firms had raised twenty
dollars. This sum had been saved by
the most rigid economy, and Mrs. Finn
had borrowed two dollars of that
amount from Mrs. Donnelly, the cham
pion quilter of Cooney Island. Still
there was ten dollars to be gotten, and
Mr. and Mrs. Finn took a sorrowful
leave of the cow, for the sheriff was to
come at ten o'clock.
Mickey had arrived at Eddyville on
the morning of the sale day. He knew
that the cows salvation depended on
him, but he was unable to get his
money until nine o'clock. He had !
been no less self-denying than his
parents during the previous month. |
and so his wages were intact-ten dol !
lars in one dollar bills. He carefully
pinned these inside his red flannel |
shirt and mounted the old mule Jenny. |
He had ridden the mule every day |
during the past month, had stolen hay |
for her and appropriated cabbage |
until tho animal haI IN
have an absorbing affection for him, or |
the tid-bits which he gave her. Before |
mounting her he fished a carrot |
out of his trousers pocket and stood |
impatiently by while she ate it. Then /
he jumped on her back and called on
her for the supreme effort of her career.
Jenny had never been noted for speed, |
but under the inspiration of Mickey's /
heels she galloped along the road under
the mountains as if she was being
pelted with chestnut burs. The sleepy |
bakers mare which they passed on the
road pricked up her ears and made a
feeble cumulative squirt, but the mule
in a cloud of dust around
a turn in the road. Through
Wilbur ran the mule, with smoking
fanks and chased by pack of bark
ing dogs, and still the boy urged her to
greater exrtions. Up the hill painted
the mule, and then Mickey leaned over
in his blanket saddle and whispered:
"Only wan mile more, Jenny; wan
little mile, ould girl. G'lang!'
Down Newkirk avenue they came
like a whirlwind AS they swung
around Browns Pond, Mrs. Doolan
stood in her doorway and cried to Mrs
Fogarty over the way:
There comes that daredevil, Mickey
Finn.
The two watched the mule and her
rider until they drew up in front Of the
Finn shanty. He was evidently too
late, for the sheriff was putting rope
around the horns Of the cow Leaping
from the mules back Mickey left her
TO Craze by the roadside. His mother
was so pleased 10 see him that she
,lasped him in her arms. regardless
Of the COW. but he gently pushed her
aside and said:
"How much money dye want?''
What's that t'ye, ye spalpeen,
yrowled Mike Finn.
Ten dollars, my boy said the
sheriff. Have you got it?''
Come in here till we see, replied
he boy.
They went into the shanty, and
Mickey laid ten one-dollar bills in
'ow upon the table.
That night, as Mike Finn sat in his
doorway smoking. Mrs. Doolan came
Up and leaned over the fence
Il hear yer'e by Mickey KUN back
''He did that
"Ani he saved verse coxg